Take a look at the Buffalo Zoo's new red panda - Buffalo news - NewsLocker (2025)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- The Buffalo Zoo is saying hello to a new red panda.The 11-month-old female, Himalaya, has already settled into her new home in the Queen City after coming here from the Greenville Zoo in South Carolina.
Her move was part of the Association of Zoo and Aquariums Species Survival Plan for red pandas, which are considered endangered. The hope is that she and Mogwai, the zoo's three-year-old male red panda, will become breeding partners.“She is an adorable ambassador for

Genesee St. reopens after 3-car crash

LANCASTER, N.Y. (WIVB) -- News 4 is working to learn more about a three-vehicle crash that closed down a portion of Genesee Street in Lancaster Thursday evening.Lancaster police and Bowmansville fire crews responded to the scene.Traffic was re-directed when a section of the road between Harris Hill and Stony roads closed down shortly after 5 p.m. The closure lasted until just after 8 p.m.News 4 has reached out to police and will share more information when it becomes available.Latest Local News

Pat Sajak's final 'Wheel of Fortune' episode airs tonight

LOS ANGELES (AP) — After 41 years and over 8,000 episodes, Pat Sajak’s final turn as the renowned host of “Wheel of Fortune” will air on Friday.Sajak’s co-host and letter turnerVanna White paid an emotional tributeto her partner on Thursday’s episode, calling him “like a brother” and a “true lifelong friend.” In the pre-recorded video that featured clips and photos of their 41 years as co-workers, she added that their person

Unionized Tops workers to begin strike

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — About 550 unionized Tops workers are set to begin a strike just after midnight Friday after they voted down the company's latest offer, sources told News 4 WIVB.Teamsters Local 264 overwhelmingly voted down the last contract proposal from Tops on Thursday night, setting up the strike.
Three union contracts with Tops expired at the end of May. The union voted on May 16 to authorize a strike. The striking workers are across different platforms.News 4 WIVB has reached o

Advertisement

Unionized Tops warehouse workers begin striking

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — About 550 unionized Tops workers began striking just after midnight Friday after they voted down the company's latest offer.Teamsters Local 264 overwhelmingly voted down the last contract proposal from Tops on Thursday night, setting up the strike.
Three union contracts with Tops expired at the end of May. The union voted on May 16 to authorize a strike. The union represents warehouse workers and drivers."Tops' latest offer contained an industry-leading total compens

Buffalo Diocese recommends merges, closures of 15 churches

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Buffalo Diocese has recommended 15 churches across Erie County be closed or mergedNews 4 WIVB obtained the list at a meeting among church officials and parishioners at St. Anthony's on Thursday night.You can see the full list below:Family No. 20
Holy Spirit (Dakota Street): merge with St. Margaret (Hertel Avenue)St. Mark (Woodward Avenue): merge with St. Margaret. School to remain.St. Rose of Lima (Parker Avenue): merge with St. MargaretAll Saints (Chadduck Avenu

"Savings lives, guiding lives, we all weather storms." Tours return to Buffalo Lighthouse

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- The Buffalo Lighthouse beamed it's light for the first time in 1833, just eight years after the opening of the Erie Canal. It served as a beacon of light for ships that set sail, but also for the growth of our city and nation."This lighthouse marks the juncture of the great lakes and the Erie Canal. It's a national historic site," said Mike Vogel, President of The Buffalo Lighthouse Association. "It's a lighthouse that stood for a long time, watched a river of immigration

Buffalo-based New Era to acquire lifestyle brand '47

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Buffalo-based cap company New Era is set to acquire the sport and lifestyle brand '47, the companies announced Thursday.The deal between the two brands is expected to bring in $2 billion in annual revenue. The financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.New Era makes caps affiliated with MLB, the NBA, the NFL, the NHL, over 900 collegiate programs, European soccer clubs, major golf and tennis events, among other major sports. The company's headquarters i

Advertisement

Mike Leone to coach Amerks

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Sabres announced on Thursday that they have hired Mike Leone to coach their American Hockey League affiliate club.Leone, who previously coached the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL, replaces Seth Appert, who took a job on Lindy Ruff's staff with the Sabres after the Amerks were eliminated from the Calder Cup Playoffs.Leone has been the Gamblers' head coach and general manager for the past two seasons. Prior to Leone taking over, the Gamblers finished in last plac

DEC issues second notice of violation to Geiter Done

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has issued another violation to a controversial green waste company in Buffalo's Lovejoy neighborhood.This after yet another round of complaints of a foul stench coming from the company Geiter Done.
Call 4 Action first got complaints about this foul odor last summer. Ever since then, News 4 has been asking local and state agencies what they're doing to address concerns from residents.Now, News 4 is learning of a s

Springville man sentenced for killing Lancaster man in road rage incident

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- A Springville man was sentenced Wednesday morning following a 2023 road rage incident that left one man dead, according to the Erie County District Attorney's Office.
Around 3:20 p.m. on November 29, 39-year-old Mario Garcia was involved in a road rage incident while driving a pickup truck on Route 240 in East Concord.
The victim, 64-year-old Andrew Mikula of Lancaster, was driving his own pickup truck when he pulled off to the side of the road south of Davis Hill. Garcia

NFTA Parks Adventure Bus returns for its third year

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- The NFTA has announced the return of the Parks Adventure Bus for the summer.The bus provides free rides to Western New York parks and beaches every Saturday between June 8 and August 3. The free service departs from the downtown Buffalo bus station on Ellicott Street at 8:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.Parks served include:
Chestnut Ridge ParkFort Niagara State ParkReinstein Woods Nature PreserveComo Lake ParkBeaver Island State ParkAkron Falls Pa

Florida man accused of traveling to NY for sexual activity with minor

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Federal prosecutors have charged a Florida man after they say he flew to Western New York to engage in sexual activity with a minor.21-year-old Jose Tehovnik has been accused of enticement of a minor, as well as production, receipt and possession of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.According to officials Tehovnik allegedly started communicating with a girl in Western New York on Instagram in February. The conversation then moved to Snapchat, the

Florida man accused of traveling to NY for sex with minor

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Federal prosecutors have charged a Florida man after they say he flew to Western New York to have sex with a minor.The Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York detailed the charges against 21-year-old Jose Tehovnik. He has been accused of enticement of a minor, as well as production, receipt and possession of child pornography.According to officials, in February, Tehovnik started communicating with a girl in Western New York on Instagram. The

National Doughnut Day deals in Buffalo, WNY

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Several local cafes and bakeries are offering deals for National Doughnut Day on Friday, June 7.Check out the list below for a deal on a sweet treat.
To be added to this list, please email [emailprotected] with "National Doughnut Day" in the subject line.Doughnut dealsDonut Kraze: Free doughnut with any purchase (details), 129 Main Street, Tonawanda, NY 14150.Dunkin': Free classic doughnut with a drink purchase(details), numerous locations.Paula's Donuts: Free

Six ghost guns found during Town of Niagara search, police say

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- A Niagara Falls man is facing charges after New York State Police said four rifles and two handguns without serial numbers were found.On Wednesday, Town of Niagara police were investigating a complaint about a suspicious property at the Expressway Village in the Town of Niagara when they said they located multiple ghost guns. In addition to the weapons, police also said they found body armor, a firearm silencer and a high-capacity magazine.As a result, Joshua McClelland,

Buffalo man receives maximum sentence for strangulation, attempted robbery

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- A Buffalo man received the maximum sentence Wednesday for attacking a female victim and attempting to rob an elderly woman in 2022, the Erie County District Attorney's Office announced.
34-year-old Michael Sawyer was sentenced as a second violent felony offender to fifteen years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.
Just after 10:30 p.m. on April 1, 2022, Sawyer strangled a woman to the point of unconsciousness in a Buffalo home. He then took her p

Attica Correctional Facility inmate admits to attempted rape following previous rape charge

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- An inmate in the Attica Correctional Facility was found guilty Tuesday of attempted rape among other charges against a civilian employee, according to the Wyoming County District Attorney's Office.Serial rapist accused of attacking employee at Attica38-year-old Emmanuel Jenkins was serving a 15-years-to-life sentence at the time of the crime for three counts of rape, three counts of predatory sexual assault, and two counts of third-degree aggravated sexual abuse.
Jenkins

Buffalo Zoo hopes new red panda will become breeding partner

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- The Buffalo Zoo is saying hello to a new red panda.The 11-month-old female, Himalaya, has already settled into her new home in the Queen City after coming here from the Greenville Zoo in South Carolina.
Her move was part of the Association of Zoo and Aquariums Species Survival Plan for red pandas, which are considered endangered. The hope is that she and Mogwai, the zoo's three-year-old male red panda, will become breeding partners.“She is an adorable ambassador for

Nursing home workers may strike soon if deal not reached

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Healthcare workers represented by 1199SEIU in Allegany, Westfield, Orchard Park and East Aurora could go on strike after the union filed three unfair labor practice board charges.The healthcare employees work at homes operated by the Living Legends Health Network -- Absolut Care, McGuire Group, Taconic Health Care and VestraCare. Three of the four are currently undergoing a change in ownership.The union alleges that workers were subject to the following:
"threats of retal

Bill to force move of Sheridan Park Crematory awaits Hochul's approval

TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Although the construction of funeral homes combined with crematories has been outlawed in New York, a grandfathered facility still exists in the Town of Tonawanda, and locals don't want to see it near them anymore.Currently, there's a bill awaiting approval from Gov. Kathy Hochul to force the Sheridan Park Crematory, which exists along with Amigone Funeral Home at 2600 Sheridan Drive, to move.This follows legislation passed in 2021 that said Amigone could move t

Suspect charged after man, woman stabbed in Dunkirk

DUNKIRK, N.Y. (WIVB) -- After two people were stabbed in Dunkirk last week, a suspect has officially been charged.Early in the morning on May 30, Dunkirk police responded to an apartment on Lake Shore Drive West, where they said they found Twain Buchanan-Scott, 34, with a knife, standing over a woman with multiple stab wounds.Police said they took Buchanan-Scott into custody without incident and located another person inside the apartment -- a man who also had stab wounds.Buchanan-Scott was take

Fans talk Bills PSL cost one year after new stadium breaks ground

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Wednesday marks one year since the Bills broke ground on their new stadium. Back in March, season ticket holders were informed that they would need to pay tens of thousands of dollars for personal seat licenses (PSL) before even purchasing a season ticket for the new stadium.The Bills have undergone significant changes in the past year, from roster adjustments to the Pegulas considering the sale of a 25% stake in the team.Meanwhile, longtime season ticket holders are

Ask the Mayor: Byron Brown says 'all available pools' will be open for summer

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown sat down with News 4's Kelsey Anderson on Wednesday to discuss the city's plan for pool openings and usage this summer.Brown said all of their available pools will be open for the summer, including five outdoor pools and two indoor pools.Anderson mentioned lifeguard shortages the city has had in previous years since the COVID-19 pandemic. Brown said the city has been working on this issue, along with pool closures, year-round."We have more than 1

Watch our D-Day: The Greatest Victory special

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- To commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, News 4 Buffalo will air “D-Day: The Greatest Victory," an hour-long special focusing on the largest air, land, and naval operation in wartime history, when Allied troops landed on the coast of Normandy, France, to liberate Europe from the Nazis.The actual D-Day landing occurred on June 6, 1944.Be sure to watch our special report at 7 p.m. on WIVB or on this page.
You can check out all of our D-Day anniversary content in

Tenth Annual "Fill the Backpack" fundraiser for FeedMore WNY is back at Wegmans

DEPEW, N.Y. (WIVB) -- For the tenth year, the Fill the Backpack campaign is back on the shelves of Wegmans, helping inspire customers to donate toward FeedMore Western New York's Backpack program."We are so grateful for the continued partnership with News 4 and Wegmans. They really make it easy for people to give back during this 'Fill the Backpack Campaign," said Catherine Shick, Public Relations Manager of FeedMore Western New York. "All you have to do is make that donation when you're shoppin

10th Annual "Fill the Backpack" fundraiser for FeedMore WNY is back at Wegmans

DEPEW, N.Y. (WIVB) -- For the 10th year, the Fill the Backpack campaign is back on the shelves of Wegmans, helping inspire customers to donate toward FeedMore Western New York's Backpack program."We are so grateful for the continued partnership with News 4 and Wegmans. They really make it easy for people to give back during this 'Fill the Backpack Campaign," said Catherine Shick, Public Relations Manager of FeedMore Western New York. "All you have to do is make that donation when you're shopping

Suspect charged following vandalism of 18 American flags around Memorial Day

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) - The vandalism of more than a dozen American flags near a local monument for veterans happened last week, just a few days after Memorial Day, and local officials are still in shock.Damage was done to the flags in what's called "The Field of Flags" right by the Niagara Falls Veterans Memorial park. This is the second year that they've been put up between Memorial Day and July 4. Last Thursday, leaders say someone committed the ultimate sign of disrespect, vandalizing 1

Woman killed in crash in Chautauqua County

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A 22-year-old woman was killed in a crash on Route 394 in Chautauqua County Tuesday evening, according to the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office.Police responded to Route 394 near Carpenter-Pringle Road in the town of North Harmony just before 6:50 p.m. Tuesday, where a 2018 white SUV had traveled off the roadway and rolled over.The woman, identified as Franchesca L. Onealhawkins of Jamestown, was pronounced dead at the scene, while two others, Victoria M. Smith of L

Niagara Falls man sentenced for fatally beating ex-girlfriend's boyfriend

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- A Niagara Falls man was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison Wednesday morning for fatally beating his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend in September 2022, the Erie County District Attorney's Office announced.Around 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 17, Buffalo police responded to a fight on the 400 block of Berkshire Avenue. Officials said AbouyceaThornton, 32, attacked his ex-girlfriend and beat her boyfriend with a metal pipe.Call about fight in Buffalo leads to murder, assault ch